Technique for tightening fasteners with electric power tool

Abstract

One aspect of the present disclosure provides an electric power tool including an output shaft, a motor, a manual switch, a memory device, a first circuit, and a second circuit distinct from the first circuit. The memory device stores two or more sets of job information. Each of the two or more sets of job information includes at least one operation setting of the motor for performing an associated tightening operation. The first circuit (i) receives one set of job information and (ii) drives the motor in accordance with the at least one operation setting included in the one set of job information based on the manual switch being or having been manually operated. The second circuit outputs a next set of job information from the memory device to the first circuit based on the first circuit having completed driving the motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric power tool comprising:
 an output shaft (i) including a tip tool or (ii) configured to be detachably attached to the tip tool, the tip tool being configured to detachably engage with fasteners;   a motor configured to rotationally drive the output shaft;   a manual switch configured to be manually operated by a user of the electric power tool for driving the motor;   a memory device configured to store two or more sets of job information, the two or more sets of job information being associated with respective two or more tightening operations of the fasteners, each of the two or more sets of job information including at least one operation setting of the motor for performing an associated tightening operation;   a first circuit configured (i) to receive one set of job information and (ii) to drive the motor in accordance with the at least one operation setting included in the one set of job information based on the manual switch being or having been manually operated, the one set of job information corresponding to one of the two or more sets of job information stored in the memory device; and   a second circuit (i) distinct from the first circuit and (ii) configured to output a next set of job information in the two or more sets of job information from the memory device to the first circuit based on the first circuit having completed driving the motor, the next set of job information being associated with a next tightening operation in the two or more tightening operations.   
     
     
         2 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the memory device is configured to store a set of sequence information;   the set of sequence information designates an order in which each of the two or more sets of job information is assigned to the next set of job information; and   the second circuit is configured to read out the next set of job information from the two or more sets of job information in the order designated by the set of sequence information stored in the memory device.   
     
     
         3 . The electric power tool according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the set of sequence information includes two or more parameters associated with the respective two or more sets of job information, each of the two or more parameters defining a specified number of times to output an associated set of job information; and   the second circuit is configured to output the next set of job information to the first circuit in every completion of a drive of the motor by the first circuit until the second circuit completes outputs of the next set of job information for the specified number of times defined by an associated parameter.   
     
     
         4 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second circuit is configured to read out the next set of job information from the two or more sets of job information in an order in which each of the two or more sets of job information is stored in the memory device.   
     
     
         5 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor configured (i) to detect a result of a tightening operation performed and (ii) to output a detection signal, the detection signal indicating the result of the tightening operation performed, wherein:   the first circuit is configured (i) to receive the detection signal and (ii) to output, to the second circuit, the result indicated by the detection signal based on a completion of a drive of the motor; and   the second circuit is configured (i) to receive the result and (ii) to store the result in the memory device.   
     
     
         6 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one operation setting includes a desired rotational speed of the motor, a desired tightening torque of a fastener, a desired operating time of the motor, a start-up profile of the motor, and/or a stop profile of the motor.   
     
     
         7 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first regulator associated with the first circuit; and   a second regulator associated with the second circuit.   
     
     
         8 . The electric power tool according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first regulator is configured to generate a first voltage; and   the second regulator is configured (i) to receive the first voltage from the first regulator and (ii) to generate a second voltage based on the first voltage received.   
     
     
         9 . The electric power tool according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the first regulator is configured (i) to receive an electric power from a battery pack and (ii) to generate the first voltage based on the electric power received.   
     
     
         10 . The electric power tool according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the second voltage is different from the first voltage.   
     
     
         11 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first circuit board including the first circuit thereon; and   a second circuit board (i) including the second circuit thereon and (ii) distinct from the first circuit board.   
     
     
         12 . The electric power tool according to  claim 11 , further comprising
 a connector electrically coupling the first circuit board to the second circuit board.   
     
     
         13 . The electric power tool according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the memory device is on the second circuit board.   
     
     
         14 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the memory device includes a rewritable and non-volatile memory.   
     
     
         15 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a communicator configured to perform a wired communication or a wireless communication with an external device, wherein:   the external device is distinct from the electric power tool; and   the second circuit is configured (i) to receive the two or more sets of job information from the external device via the communicator and (ii) to store, in the memory device, the two or more sets of job information received.   
     
     
         16 . The electric power tool according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the second circuit includes the communicator.   
     
     
         17 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second circuit includes the memory device.   
     
     
         18 . The electric power tool according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a main body including the motor, the manual switch, the memory device, the first circuit, and the second circuit.   
     
     
         19 . A method of tightening fasteners with an electric power tool, the method comprising:
 storing two or more sets of job information in a memory device of the electric power tool, the two or more sets of job information being associated with respective two or more tightening operations of the fasteners, each of the two or more sets of job information including at least one operation setting of a motor of the electric power tool for performing an associated tightening operation;   receiving one set of job information by a first circuit of the electric power tool, the one set of job information corresponding to one of the two or more sets of job information stored in the memory device, the first circuit being configured to drive the motor in accordance with the at least one operation setting included in the one set of job information received;   driving the motor by the first circuit based on a manual switch of the electric power tool being or having been manually operated; and   outputting a next set of job information in the two or more sets of job information from the memory device to the first circuit by a second circuit of the electric power tool based on the first circuit having completed driving the motor, the second circuit being distinct from the first circuit, the next set of job information being associated with a next tightening operation in the two or more tightening operations.